Tone - how does the author feel?

Tone is how the author feels toward the subject he or she is writing about. Unlike mood, the tone of passage must be inferred, or guessed. Based on the words the author uses, as well as details and images that the author chooses to include. Roll over the image below to compare and contrast mood and tone.

Words that are often used to describe tone include:
Angry    Upset

Silly    Boring

Afraid    Happy

Hollow    Joyful

Bitter    Proud

Dramatic    Cold

Urgent    Confused

Mocking    Sentimental

Can you think of any more?

Let's determine the tone of a passage together:
Can you differentiate between tone and mood in the passage? How can you tell?
Click below to navigate to the passage for some practice:
Lewis, C. (1950). The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. New York, NY: Haper Collins.

Check out the following link:
What tone do you pick up on from the author of this article (is she optimistic or pessimistic about the topic)? What words/sentences let you know how she feels about cloning the trees? Is there any bias involved in her article?
Click the title to open the article:
Will Cloning Ancient Trees Help Cleanse Our Planet?

If you think you understand mood and tone, click below to take a quiz and test your knowledge!
Mood/Tone Quiz

Back to Top